Pants topper



Aug. 25, 1970 N, A, BU K Em 3,525,459

I PANTS TOPPER Filed Sept. 10, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet l N. A. BUCKL'EY ET AL" 3,525,459

PANTS TOPPER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 tZflMffiCorS 20772747: Q. ykmk/eg 6227 :19. Qirmassen Aug. 25, 1-970 filed Sept. 10, 1968 United States Patent 3,525,459 PANTS TOPPER Norman A. Buckley, Wauwatosa, and Peter D. Rasmussen, Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to McGraw-Edison Company, Elgin, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 10, 1968, Ser. No. 758,751 Int. Cl. D06c /00, 15/00 US. Cl. 223-73 31 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pants topper for finishing the upper portion of a pair of pants, and particularly: mechanism for expanding the waist and holding the lapped fly area of the pants secure relative to an underlying buck support; a device for elevating the pants legs to a height convenient for grasping by the operator for easy removal of the pants after the finishing operation; controls for operating the mechanism and device for easy pants dressing on or removal from the buck support, and for selective manual or automatically timed presteam and/or steam-air cycles of the topper; and structure to minimize steam condensation within the topper.

In commercial dry cleaners, it is common to finish wrinkle-free the upper portions of a pair of pants on a machine called a pants topper. The topper includes a heated buck and appropriate expansion means including an inflatable bag over the buck, and, the pants fit over these and are thereby firmly held in position on the buck. Steam is discharged into the confines of the pants for moistening or conditioning them and heated air is discharged through the pants to dry them and simultaneously inflate them to remove all wrinkles.

This invention relates to an improved pants topper. One significant improvement is the manner of clamping or holding the pants to the underlying buck, particularly including a fly plate disposed to firmly press the overlapped fly sections of the pants against the buck, opposite the waist expanding bracket.

Another improvement is a pants leg lifter which is normally spaced from the pants legs but which is shifted in the operative position to lift the legs to a height convenient to the operator to accommadate easy removal of the pants from the buck. Particular controls for the topper are provided with can be operated manually and/or automatically for easy pants dressing on or removal from the buck, and for adjustably timed or manually selected presteam and steam-air cycling of the topper. The heat exchanger for air, steam heat tubes for the buck, and steam discharge nozzle are moreover constructed and arranged to minimize unwanted condensation of steam within the topper for improved operation of the topper.

A main object of this invention is to provide an improved commercially acceptable pants topper having means for operating automatically on a timed basis or manually the presteam or steam conditioning and air drying cycles of the topper.

A more detailed object of this invention is to provide an improved control for a topper that can presteam on a timed basis, and can thereafter steam and dry on an automatically timed basis, all without resetting the control.

Another objection of this invention is to provide in a pants topper a device which operates automatically to elevate the legs of the pants to a height suitable for grasping by the operator for assisting in the removal of the pants after the finishing cycle has concluded.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a topper an improved design and location of the heat exchanger for heating the drying air discharged into the interior of the pants and the steam nozzle for discharging the conditioning steam against the pants, such that minimizes or eliminates condensation prior to discharge even after prolonged delays between steaming cycles.

These and other objects will be more fully understood after referring to the following specification including the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a preferred embodiment of the subject pants topper;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view as seen generally from line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing details of construction of the particular topper;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, partially broken away, also showing details of construction of the particular topper; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic of controls suitable for operating the particular pants toppers.

Referring to FIG. 1, a topper unit 10 is shown, and includes a pedestal 12 supported on a platform 14, and a horizontally disposed support 16 secured to the upper end of the pedestal 12. Secured at the outboard end of the support 16, a buck 18 depends downwardly spaced forwardly of the pedestal 12 and is adapted to receive and hold the upper portion of a pair of pants. The buck includes a perforated metal frame 20 (FIG. 2) and a porous added covering 22 and as woven stainless steel wire and loosely woven cloth over the frame, and heat coils 24 are adjacent the inner side of the buck frame suitable for heating it. A porous bag 26 of nylon or other heat and steam resistant material is received over and covers the buck, and the rear portion of the bag is supported by bracket 28. The bracket 28 slides in an elongated track 30 secured to the underside of support 16, and a power cylinder 32 moves the bracket toward and away from the buck. When the bracket is close to the buck (FIGS. 2 and 3) a pair of pants can be dressed on the buck or removed from the buck; whereas when the bracket is spaced further from the buck (FIG. 1 and in phantom in FIG. 3) the waist of the pants is extended over the buck and bracket.

Also, in connection with the manner the pants are secured to the buck, a fly press plate 36 is supported by lever 38 to pivot about pin 40 on the support 16 toward and away from the buck. In the position where the fly press plate 36 is against the buck (FIG. 1), it engages the lapped areas of the fly of the pants and thereby holds them snugly against the buck and simultaneously provides a wrinkle-free finish on the fly area. A power cylinder 42 connected by pin 43 to the support and by pin 44 to the lever 38 moves the fly press plate 36 as required against the buck to secure the pants or away from the buck to release the pants. The fly press plate 36 preferably is connected by center mounted link 46 to pin 48 on lever 38 and thereby freely pivots relative to the buck to accommodate for any surface irregularity in the multiple layer fly area.

It is thus noted that the dressed pants are held on the buck in an expanded condition by the fly press plate 36 and bracket 28. The controls for actuating the power cylinders for moving these components will be disclosed later.

In connection with the finishing cycle, the pants as dressed on the buck are steamed to make them pliable, and then are dried by passing heated air through them, which also removes all wrinkles from them.

A steam discharge nozzle 54 is supported by a pipe 56 in a generally central location within the interior of the buck. The nozzle is connected by tubing to tank 58 which provides steam for discharge into the buck confines. An interior Wall 60 defines an interior channel 62 in the support 16 which communicates at one end through top opening 64 with the interior of the buck 18 inside the bag 26 and at the other end with the outlet of a blower 66 mounted at the inboard end of the support 16. Heat exchanger coil 70 is positioned in the channel 62 for heating the air before it is discharged into the buck, and a baflle plate 71 is hinged at its upper end to the wall 60 to close the channel when in the position shown in FIG. 2. In the preferred embodiment, the heat exchanger 70 consists of an single finned tube formed to a coil having a rather large diameter disposed about a vertical axis. The individual fins on the tube, and the adjacent tubes in the coil are in close almost touching relationship to one another and provide large areas over which the air must pass for heating before being discharged into the buck.

Steam inlet line 80 directs steam to the upper part of tank 58, from which through line 82 near the bottom of the tank steam passes for circulation through the heat exchanger coil 70, and by means of a conduit 84, is subsequently directed to the buck tubing 24 and to steam return line 86. Line 88 from near the top of tank 58 is directed through solenoid valve 90 to the pipe 56 for providing the steam discharge from the nozzle. To reduce condensation, the pipe 56 is of heavy metallic construction and at most 6" to 8" long to provide good heat conduction with the tank to heat the nozzle at all times to an elevated temperature comparable to the steam temperature in tank 58. Moreover, the tank 58 is welded to plate 91 of the wall 60, so that the plate is heated also by the conductive relationship. Line 88 is short and contacts the plate, so that it also is maintained heated at both ends and near its midpoint by conduction from the tank, plate and pipe. Since steam from the tank 58 is admitted via heated tubing 88 to the heated pipe 56, there is little tendency for the steam to condense so that steam, and not slugs of water, is discharged from the nozzle.

Pleater plates 100 are mounted on links 102 in. turn pivoted to the outboard end of the support 16 for pressing engagement against the fronts of the pants generally in the area of pleats that are formed in certain styles of pants. Separate power cylinders 104 operatively connected to the respective links 102. move each pleater plate as required, and the power cylinder for each respective right and left hand pleater plate is actuated by manual depression of push-button elements 106R and 106L and is released by pulling the push-button element on auto matically by a control to be discussed later in reference to the FIG. 4.

Another important aspect of the subject topper is a pants leg lifter 110 which includes a frame 112 pivoted at its inboard edge on pin 114 to the pedestal 12, the open interior of the frame being covered by cloth or net 116. The frame 112 includes a lever 118 which is pivoted to a power cylinder 120, the power cylinder in turn being connected to the rear wall of the pedestal 12. The pants leg lifter 110 is shown in a lowered inoperative position (FIG. 1) where the pants legs shown in phantom hang unobstructed; and is shown in an elevated operative position (FIG. 3) where the pants legs would be conveniently elevated heightwise to an operator to permit easy grasp ing for removal of the pants after the finishing operation.

The control for automatic and selective manual operation of the topper is shown in schematic in FIG. 4. The control physically includes the foot pedals 130, 132 and 134; the pleater push-buttons 106R and 106L; several selective control switches 136, 138, 140, 142, and 144; and timers 146 and 148. These components, other than the foot pedals, are located on a front control panel or a side control panel on the unit. The particular operation desired of the topper can be achieved by selective manipulation of these control components.

The components of the control will be explained basically in the normal order of operation of the topper, as well as the basic operation of the topper. In this regard, the pants are initially dressed on the buck 18 of the topper by contacting the bag bracket 28 with power cylinder 4 32. The power cylinder 32 is controlled by the foot pedal which actuates a single pole double throw switch.

Power from lines 149 is directed through main on-olf switch 136 to a line designated HOT and to ground, and this HOT is similar at the various uses in the schematic. The common center contact 151 thus is hot and is spring-biased against normally closed contact 152 and shifted by depression of the foot pedal to engage the normally open contact 153 which in turn is connected through coil 154 to ground. The coil 154 shifts threeway valve 156 to admit air under high pressure to chamber 157 of the power cylinder 32, which high pressure air in chamber 157 overcomes the continuing low pressure air in chamber 158. Valve 156 is normally in the position as shown to vent chamber 157 whereby the air pressure in chamber 158 normally moves the bracket 28 away from the buck to the waist expanded position. To provide for proper expanding forces of the bracket without chance of ripping the pants, an adjustable pressure regulator 159 is used to control the air pressure admitted to chamber 158.

The fly clamp plate 36 is actuated by the power cylinder 42, and this cylinder is controlled by foot pedal 132. The foot pedal 132 similarly actuates a single pole, double throw switch where the common center point 162 connected through line 163 to switch contact 164 and through coil 165 to ground. The normally open contact 166 of the switch 132 is hot so that when the pedal is depressed and the common is shifted over to the hot contact 166 the fly clamp relay coil 165 is energized to close switch 164. The switch 164 connects through line 167 to the hot normally closed contact 152 of the foot pedal switch 130, which would be in the position as shown. Upon release of the foot pedal 132 and the return of the switch to its normal position as shown, the now hot center contact 162 completes through normally closed contact 168 a circuit including coil 170 to ground. The energized coil 170 opens three way valve -171 to admit high pressure air to chamber 172 of power cylinder 42 which overcomes the normal opposing force of cylinder spring 173 to move the fly press plate firmly against the underlying pants. Upon subsequent depression of the foot pedal 132 to deenergize the coil 170, the valve 171 will be spring shifted to vent the chamber 172 and elevate the press plate 36 to permit the pants to be redressed should they be wrinkled or improperly dressed on the buck, whereupon the subsequent release of the foot pedal 132 would again engage the press plate 36 against the buck.

After the pants have been dressed on the buck and are firmly clamped in place, the waist expander switch 130 and the fly clamp switch 132 are in the normal spring biased position as shown. The actual automatic presteam and/or steam and air cycles of the topper can be started by depression and release of the steam-air foot pedal 134. How long each cycle operates depends on the settings of the timers, timer 146 determining the presteam and steam conditioning cycles and timer 148 determining the air drying cycle.

The cycle which is obtained by depression and release of the steam-air foot pedal 134 depends on the setting of the presteam switch 142 and on the placement of the pleater plates 100. For example, a timed presteam cycle occurs when the switch 142 is open and the pleater plates 100 are open, in which case, the time set on the timer 146 determines the duration of the presteam cycle. On the other hand, if the presteam switch 142 is closed or if the pleater plates 100 are engaged, a timed automatic steam-air cycle will occur and the time of each is determined by the settings on timers 146 and 148 as previously mentioned. At the conclusion of the steam-air cycle, the lifter automatically also is shifted to the operative position elevating the pants legs.

The pleater plates 100 are closed by depression of the respective control plungers 106R and 106L to shift each valve 180 to direct air under pressure from pressure regulator 182 to chamber 184 of each pleater power cylinder 104. This pressure overcomes the pressure of the air from line 185 to the opposite chamber 186, which because of the differential in piston area and chamber pressure, moves the pressing plates against the front of the buck. When the pleater plates are engaged, this condition is sensed by a connection through line 188 to diaphragm 189 which in turn closes double pole single throw switch contacts 190. The switch contacts 190 are located similarly in two locations in parallel with the switch contacts 142 of the double pole, single throw presteam, steam-air toggle switch '142.

Independently of the timed automatic cycles which will be explained, steam can be selectively discharged from nozzle 54 by manual actuation of switch 148. -In such a case, the normally open contact 194 which is hot is connected through the common contact 195 and coil 196 to ground to energize coil 196 and open the normally closed steam valve 90 to admit steam to the buck nozzle 54. The air blower 66 can similarly be operated manually by actuation of the manual-auto air switch 140. This switch has hot normally open contact 198 which then connects through common contact 199 to the blower motor 200 for actuation of the blower.

Returning now to the automatically timed cycles, the foot switches 130, 132 and 134, and the select switches 138 and 140 are all in the position as shown; the foot switches 130 and 132 having already been depressed and released. Under such circumstances, line 201 from the foot switch 130 is hot. As such and from line 202, the center contact 203 and the normally closed contact 205 of timer 148 are hot as is the contact of a steam air relay switch 206. Therefore, upon depression of the steam air foot pedal 134 and the shifting of the switch, hot normally open contact 210 connects through the common contact 212, line 214, and the normally closed stop switch 144 to coil 215 to energize the coil 215 and close the switch contact 206. This thereby completes a holding circuit through switch 206 and line 216 from the foot pedal switch 130 to coil 215 to hold the switch 206 closed. The indicator lamp 218 similarly is energized and serves to indicate that the automatic cycle is now in operation.

Upon releasing the foot pedal 134 to its shown position, the normally closed contact 220 is now hot (because of the energized line 214) and connects through line 221, the common contact 222 and normally closed contact 224 of the steam timer 146, and the normally closed contact 225 and common contact 195 of the manual auto steam switch 138 to energize the coil 196'. This opens the steam valve 90 and discharges steam from the nozzle 54. The hot line 221 to the timer 146 similarly energizes timer motor 228 and starts the timed cycle of the timer. After the time set on the timer 146 elapses, the timer motor 228 drives the contact 222 from the position as shown to the opposite position against normally open contact 230. This renders line 232 hot and completes through closed switch contacts 142 and/or 190, normally closed contact 234 and common contact 195 of the manual automatic air switch 140 for energizing the blower motor 200. The energized line 232 also is directed to motor 236 of timer 148 to set the timer 148 in operation.

After the time set on the timer 148 has elapsed signifying that the automatic steam-air cycle is concluded, the motor 238 momentarily switches common contact 203 of the timer 148 to its other position against normally open contact 240. This completes a circuit through closed switch contacts 142 and/ or 190, line 242 to the coil 244 for closing switch contact 246. This switch in turn leads through line 247 to hot line 201 from the foot pedal 130 to maintain cuff relay switch 246 closed. A second circuit is also completed through coil 250 to shift valve 252 and direct air under pressure to chamber 254 of the lifter power cylinder 120. This overcomes the force of spring 256 to elevate the pants leg litter 110 to the operative position underlying the buck and consequently lifts the pants legs to a convenient position heightwise for grasping by the operator.

The shifting of timer 148 breaks the holding circuit to coil 215 to allow the contacts 206 to open. This allows both the timers 146 and 148 to reset to zero for the subsequent automatic cycle. In this regard, the timer would typically be spring biased to the position shown, and shifted by the respective motor to the opposite position, with the motor maintaining the contacts shifted as long as there is power on the timer motor.

The operator easily can remove the pants from the buck by merely grasping the elevated legs and depressing the Waist expander control pedal 130. This depressed pedal deenergizes lines 201 and 247 to drop out the relay coil 244 and in turn the lifter coil 250 to return the valve 252 to its normal position where cylinder 254 is vented and the spring 256 in the cylinder biases the lifter to the inoperative position shown in FIG. 1. Similarly, shifting the foot pedal waist expander switch deenergizes coils and for shifting valve 171 to vent the fly clamp power cylinder chamber 172 and permit spring 173 to elevate the fly clamp plate 36' off the buck to its position as shown in FIG. 3. The depressed foot pedal 130 moreover energizes the coil 154 to open the valve 156 to pressurize chamber 157 to retract the waist expanding bracket 28 to the position of FIG. 2 for removing the pants from the buck and for dressing a subsequent pair of pants. The pleater plates are also automatically elevated off the buck since opened valve 156 directs air under pressure through line 258 to the pneumatic release cylinders 260* on the pleater valves to shift the pleater valves to the position where the chambers 184 are vented and the pleater plates can be elevated by the constant bias pressure in chambers 1'86.

Preferably of the physical components shown, the foot pedal switches are such that they are normally spring biased to the position shown and are shifted to and held in the opposite position only by depression of the pedal. Similarly, each of the valves for control air, in particular valve 156 to the waist expander cylinder, valve 171 to the fly press cylinder, and valve 252 to the leg lifter cylinder is a three-way valve which is spring biased to the position as shown that vents the respective cylinder, thereby permitting the cylinder to be moved to the position as shown. The pleater valves 180 are of the type which will be maintained at either of its two positions and must be manually or pneumatically displaced from this position.

The automatic cycle can be terminated at any time by the operator by depression of the stop button 144. This opens the steam-air relay switch 206 which then either would: (1) stop the steam discharge from nozzle 54 by deenergizing coil 196, if the time set on steam timer 146 had not elapsed and contact 224 was still engaged; or (2) stop the blower by deenergizing motor 200', if the time on timer 146 had fully lapsed and contact 230 was engaged but the time on the timer 148 had not fully lapsed. However, after the finishing cycle has concluded or been terminated, the pants can only be removed by the depression of the waist expander foot pedal switch 130.

The disclosed control is particularly suited for manual and/ or automatically timed operation, since the automatic presteam and/or steam-air cycles can be interrupted at any time by a manual operation of switches 138 and 140. Extra steam can be discharged to the buck by manual actuation of the steam switch 138, and air switch 140 also permits manual selective operation of the dryer blower motor 200. The two timers 146 and 148 provide for the selective adjustable timed operation of both the steam discharge and the air drying. The timed presteam cycle is possible before the pleater plates are engaged with the switch contacts 142 open. Moreover, the timed presteam cycle or the steaming cycle of the automatic steam-air sequence can be extended by a subsequent depression and release of the steam air foot pedal 134 before timer 146 has lapsed. This is possible since the subsequent depression of the foot pedal 134 deenergizes and thus resets the timer 146, where the release of the foot pedal once again starts the cycle with the timer fully set. The pants can be easily dressed on and removed from the buck, while the pants during the cycle are securely held against the buck. When it is desired to release the pants, the pleater plates, the fly plate and waist bracket all release simultaneously so that there is little chance of wrinkling the already pressed upper portion of the pants. Also, the leg lifter is automatically elevated at the conclusion of the finishing cycle and retracted as the pants are released from the buck.

While only a single embodiment of the subject inven tion has been disclosed, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications can be made therein without departing from the inventive concept. For example, it is possible to elevate the pleater plates from the buck at the conclusion of the finishing cycle by connecting line 258 to the lifter cylinder chamber 254 instead of the waist expander cylinder chamber 157.

What is claimed is:

1. In a pants topper, the combination of a horizontal support; a buck depending from the support; a blower; conduit means in the support connecting the blower and thte buck; a tank; means mounting the tank proximate the buck; means supplying steam to the tank; a pipe connected to the tank and extending into the buck; a nozzle mounted on the pipe; means including a valve for directing steam from the tank to the nozzle; means for operating the valve; the pipe being heat conductive and having such conductivity to maintain the nozzle at an elevated temperature close to that of the tank operable to minimize condensate formation in the nozzle; a heat exchanger disposed in the conduit means proximate the buck; a damper in the conduit means between the nozzle and heat exchanger operable to preclude steam migration to the blower when the latter is inoperative; and means to supply steam from the tank to the heat exchanger.

2. In a pants topper, the combination of a horizontal support; a buck depending from the support; a blower; conduit means in the support connecting the blower and the buck; a tank; means mounting the tank from the support and proximate the buck; means providing a continuous steam supply to and return from the tank; a nozzle; structure connected to and in heat transfer relation with the tank and extending into the buck for holding said nozzle within the buck; means including a valve for directing steam from the tank to the nozzle; means for operating the valve; and the structure being heat conductive and having such conductivity because of its mass and the proximity of said supported nozzle to the tank of the order of approximately 6 to 8" to maintain the nozzle at an elevated temperature close to that of the tank operable to minimize condensate formation in the nozzle even upon the initial opening of the valve.

3. A pants topper combination according to claim 2, where n the tank mounting means defines in part the conduit means, and wherein it is heat conductive and is in heat transfer relation with the tank to be heated by the steam in the tank.

4. A pants topper combination according to claim 2 wherein the steam directing means includes a line between the tank and nozzle, and wherein the line is heat conductive and is in heat transfer relation intermediate its ends with the tank.

5. A pants topper combination according to claim 1, further including heat tubes in the buck, and means to supply steam from the heat exchanger to the heat tubes.

6. In a pants topper, the combination of a buck; a nozzle for discharging steam in the buck; a valve for the nozzle; a blower for discharging air in the buck; first and second timers, the first timer being associated with the valve for timed control of the steam discharge and the second timer being associated with the blower for timed control of the air discharge, and the second timer being initiated by and sequentially of the first timer; manual cycle selector means, the manual cycle selector means being operable in one set position to cause sequential steam and air discharging cycles and operable in another set position to cause a steam discharging cycle only and no sequential air discharging cycle; and means to initiate the first timer.

7. A pants topper combination according to claim 6, further including a pleater plate; means to move the pleater plate against the buck; cycle control means supplemental to the manual cycle selector means and operable in one set position to cause the same cycles the manual cycle selector means does in its respective one set position; and means responsive to the pleater plate being against the buck for causing the cycle control means to assume its said one set position.

8. A pants topper combination according to claim 7, wherein the method of cycling the topper includes setting the manual cycle selector means to its other set position; initiating the first timer; moving the pleater plate against the buck after the first timer has lapsed; and again initiating the first timer.

9. In a pants topper, the combination of a buck; pants holding means adjacent the buck operable in first positions to allow a pair of pants to be dressed on and removed from the buck and operable in second positions to hold the pair of pants against the buck; means to shift the pants holding means between the first and second positions; means for finishing the pants as dressed on the buck when the pants holding means is in the second positions; a pants leg lifter; and means for shifting the lifter between an inoperative position remote from the buck and an operative position horizontally underlying the buck and disposed at a height convenient to an operator suitable to elevate and hold the legs of the pair of pants for grasping by the operator.

.10. A pants topper combination according to claim 9, further including control means operable to shift the lifter from the inoperative position to the operative position automatically at the conclusion of the cycle of the finishlng means.

11. A pants topper combination according to claim 9, further including control means operable to shift the lifter from the operative position to the inoperative position automatically upon the pants holding means shifting from the second positions to the first positions.

12. A pants topper combination according to claim 9, further including control means operable to shift the lifter from the inoperative position to the operative position automatically at the conclusion of the cycle of the finishing means; and control means operable to shift the lifter from the operative position to the inoperative position automatically upon the pants holding means shifting from the second positions to the first positions.

13. In a pants topper, the combination of a horizontal support; a buck depending from the support; a bracket on the support; bracket moving means operable in one sense to shift the bracket to a first position adjacent the buck whereat a pair of pants can be dressed on or re moved from the buck and operable in another sense to shift the bracket to a second position remote of the buck whereat the pair of pants will be drawn against the buck; a clamp on the support; clamp moving means operable in one sense to shift the clamp to a first position remote from the buck whereat the pair of pants can be dressed on or removed from the buck and operable in another sense to shift the clamp to a second position holding adjacent fly areas of the pair of pants against the buck; first control means for the bracket moving means operable in one sense to cause the bracket to shift to the first position and in another sense to cause the bracket to shift to the second position; second control means for the clamp moving means operable in one sense to cause the clamp to shift to the first position and in another sense to cause the clamp to shift to the second position; and means between the first and second control means operable to cause the second control means to respond only when the first control means is such as to have the bracket in the second position.

14. A pants topper combination according to claim 13, further including means between the first and second control means operable automatically uponthe shift of the first control means that moves the bracket from the second position to the first position to shift the second control means and cause thereby the substantially concurrent shifting of the clamp from its second position to its first position.

15. A pants topper combination according to claim 13, further including a pants leg lifter; and means for shifting the lifter from between an inoperative position remote of the buck and an operative position underlying the buck and disposed at a height convenient to an operator operable to hold the legs of the pair of pants for grasping by the operator.

16. A pants topper combination according to claim 15, further including means between the lifter shifting means and the first control means operable automatically upon the shift of the first control means that moves the bracket from the second position to the, first position to cause the lifter to be shifted to its inoperative position.

17. A pants topper combination according to claim 16, further including means between the first and second control means operable automatically upon the shift of the first control means that moves the bracket from the second position to the first position to shift the second control means and cause thereby the substantially concurrent shifting of the clamp from its second position to its first position.

18. A pants topper combination according to claim 15, further including means for causing a finishing cycle on the pants on the buck; and means responsive automatically to the conclusion of the finishing cycle for causing the lifter shifting means to shift the lifter to its operative position.

19. A pants topper combination according to claim 18, further including means between the lifter shifting means and the first control means operable automatically upon the shift of the first control means that moves the bracket from the second position to the first position to cause the lifter to be shifted to its inoperative position.

20. A pants topper combination according to claim 6, further including a pants leg lifter; means for shifting the lifter from between an inoperative position remote of the buck and an operative position underlying the buck and disposed at a height convenient to an operator operable to hold the legs of a pair of pants on the buck for grasping by the operator; and means between the second timer and lifter shifting means operable responsive to the second timer lapsing to shift the lifter to the operative position.

21. In a pants topper, the combination of a horizontal support; a buck depending from the support; a bracket on the support; bracket moving means operable in one sense to shift the bracket to a first position adjacent the buck whereat a pair of pants can be dressed on or removed from the buck and operable in another sense to shift the bracket to a second position remote of the buck whereat the pair of pants will be drawn against the buck; first control means for the bracket moving means operable in one sense to cause the bracket to shift to the first position and in another sense to cause the bracket to shift to the second position; a pants leg lifter; means for shifting the lifter from between an inoperative position remote of the buck and an operative position underlying the buck and disposed at a height convenient to an operator operable to hold the legs of the pair of pants for grasping by the operator; and other control means for the lifter shifting means operable automatically responsive to the first control means being shifted so that the bracket is in its first position to cause the lifter to be in its inoperative position.

22. A pants topper combination according to claim 21, further including a clamp on the support; clamp moving means operable in one sense to shift the clamp to a first position remote from the buck whereat the pair of pants can be dressed on or removed from the buck and operable in another sense to shift the clamp to a second position holding adjacent fiy areas of the pair of pants against the buck; second control means for the clamp moving means operable in one sense to cause the clamp to'shift to the first position and in another sense to cause the clamp to shift to the second position; and means between the first and second control means operable to cause the second control means to respond only when the first control means is such as to have the bracket in the second position.

23. A pants topper combination according to claim 22, further including means to effect a finishing cycle, and additional control means operable to shift the lifter from the inoperative position to the operative position automatically at the conclusion of the cycle of the finishing means.

24. In a pants topper, the combination of a buck; pants holding means adjacent the buck operable in first positions to allow a pair of pants to be dressed on and removed from the buck and operable in second positions to hold the pair of pants against the buck; means to shift the pants holding means between the first and second positions; a nozzle for discharging steam in the buck; a valve for the nozzle; a blower for discharging air in the buck; first and second timers, the first timer being associated with the valve for timed control of the steam discharge and the second timer being associated with the blower for timed control of the air discharge, and the second timer being initiated by and sequentially of the first timer; means to initiate the first timer, but operable only when the pants holding means is in the second positions; a pants leg lifter; means for shifting the lifter between an inoperative position remote from the buck and an operative position horizontally underlying the buck and disposed at a height convenient to an operator suitable to elevate and hold the legs of the pair of pants for grasping by the operator; and control means for the lifter shifting means operable to shift the lifter from the inoperative position to the operative position automatically at the conclusion of the cycle of the second timer.

25. A pants topper combination according to claim 24, further including means between the lifter shifting means and the pants holding shifting means operable automatically upon the shift of the latter means that moves the pants holding means from the second positions to the first positions to cause the lifter to be shifted to its inoperative position.

26. A pants topper combination according to claim 24, further providing a tank; means mounting the tank proximate the buck; means supplying steam to the tank; a pipe connected to the tank and extending into the buck; said nozzle being mounted on the pipe; a line between the tank and the nozzle, and said valve being in said line; and the pipe being heat conductive and having such conductivity to maintain the nozzle at an elevated temperature close to that of the tank operable to minimize condensate formation in the nozzle.

27. A pants topper combination according to claim 24, further including cycle control means, the cycle control means being operable in one set position to cause sequential steam and air discharging cycles and operable in another set position to cause a steam discharging cycle only and no sequential air discharging cycle.

28. A pants topper combination according to claim 27, further including that said cycle control means is manually actuated between its set positions.

29. A pants topper combination according to claim 27, further including a pleater plate; means to move the 1 l pleater plate against the buck; and means responsive to the pleater plate being against the buck for causing the cycle control means to assume its said one set position.

30. A pants topper combination according to claim 29, wherein the method of cycling the topper includes initiating the first timer; moving the pleater plate against the buck after the first timer has lapsed; and again initiating the first timer.

31. In a pants topper, the combination of a buck; pants holding means adjacent the buck operable in first positions to allow a pair of pants to be dressed on and removed from the buck and operable in second positions to hold the pair of pants against the buck; means to shift the pants holding means between the first and second positions; a nozzle for discharging steam in the buck; a valve for the nozzle; a blower for discharging air in the buck; means for opening and closing the valve for control of the steam discharge and means for operating the blower for control of the air discharge; a pants leg lifter; means for shifting the lifter between an inoperative position remote from 12 the buck and an operative position horizontally underlying the buck and disposed at a height convenient to an operator suitable to elevate and hold the legs of the pair of pants for grasping by the operator; and control means for the lifter shifting means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner 

